Best time to visit Helsinki
The best time to visit Helsinki is June–July, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -2.1 °C / 28 °F | -6.4 °C / 20 °F | 55 mm / 2.2 in | neither best nor good |
| February | -2.1 °C / 28 °F | -6.8 °C / 20 °F | 44 mm / 1.7 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 2.1 °C / 36 °F | -4.2 °C / 24 °F | 37 mm / 1.5 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 8 °C / 46 °F | 0.6 °C / 33 °F | 41 mm / 1.6 in | neither best nor good |
| May | 14.7 °C / 58 °F | 6.1 °C / 43 °F | 48 mm / 1.9 in | good month |
| June | 19.2 °C / 67 °F | 11.1 °C / 52 °F | 68 mm / 2.7 in | best month |
| July | 21.8 °C / 71 °F | 14.1 °C / 57 °F | 80 mm / 3.2 in | best month |
| August | 20.3 °C / 69 °F | 13 °C / 55 °F | 83 mm / 3.3 in | good month |
| September | 15.5 °C / 60 °F | 9.3 °C / 49 °F | 66 mm / 2.6 in | good month |
| October | 9 °C / 48 °F | 4.3 °C / 40 °F | 64 mm / 2.5 in | neither best nor good |
| November | 4.1 °C / 39 °F | 0.7 °C / 33 °F | 59 mm / 2.3 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 0.7 °C / 33 °F | -2.9 °C / 27 °F | 61 mm / 2.4 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: good
- JJune: best
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: good
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- June–July
- Good
- May, August–September
Long, dark, freezing winters (November through March/April) make walking tours unpleasant. Conditions turn mild and increasingly bright from May, with June and July's nearly endless daylight the best window; August and September stay good for exploring but bring more rain, humidity and afternoon showers, before light and warmth fade again by October.
Why these months
May · good
In its favour: precipitation 48 mm / 1.9 in, share of daylight that is sunny 77%, days with heavy rain 1.2 days, average daily high 14.7 °C / 58 °F, wet days 9.4 days, relative humidity 68%, average daily low 6.1 °C / 43 °F.
Against: feels like (high) 12 °C / 54 °F.
Also on: Vappu (May Day), World Village Festival.
Watch out for: Vappu crowds and rowdiness.
June · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 17.6 °C / 64 °F, average daily high 19.2 °C / 67 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 76%, precipitation 68 mm / 2.7 in, average daily low 11.1 °C / 52 °F, relative humidity 70%.
Against: wet days 11.2 days, days with heavy rain 1.8 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 53%.
Also on: Helsinki Pride, Helsinki Samba Carnaval, Juhannus (Midsummer) bonfire, School summer holiday exodus.
Watch out for: Juhannus (Midsummer) city emptying.
July · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 21.2 °C / 70 °F, average daily high 21.8 °C / 71 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 78%, precipitation 80 mm / 3.2 in, average daily low 14.1 °C / 57 °F, relative humidity 75%.
Against: wet days 12.2 days, days with heavy rain 2.5 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 50%.
Also on: January and July sale seasons, School summer holiday exodus, Tuska Open Air, Weekend Festival (WKND).
August · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 19.4 °C / 67 °F, average daily high 20.3 °C / 69 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 75%, precipitation 83 mm / 3.3 in, average daily low 13 °C / 55 °F.
Against: wet days 13.7 days, relative humidity 80%, days with heavy rain 2.2 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 53%.
Also on: Flow Festival, Helsinki Festival, School summer holiday exodus, Visio Festival.
September · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 64%, precipitation 66 mm / 2.6 in, feels like (high) 13.6 °C / 56 °F, average daily high 15.5 °C / 60 °F, average daily low 9.3 °C / 49 °F.
Against: relative humidity 85%, wet days 11.2 days, days with heavy rain 1.9 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 48%.
Also on: Helsinki International Film Festival (Love & Anarchy).
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Klövsjö / Storhogna, 628 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | -6.9 °C | -6.6 °C | -2.4 °C | 4.1 °C | 12 °C | 17.6 °C | 21.2 °C | 19.4 °C | 13.6 °C | 5.8 °C | 0.3 °C | -3.8 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 0.9 days | 0.8 days | 0.5 days | 0.8 days | 1.2 days | 1.8 days | 2.5 days | 2.2 days | 1.9 days | 1.5 days | 0.9 days | 0.8 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 10 am | 6 pm | 10 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 2 pm | 3 pm | 1 pm | 12 pm | 6 am | 6 am |
| Sunshine per day | 1.5 h | 3.4 h | 7.2 h | 10.3 h | 13.2 h | 14.3 h | 14 h | 11.7 h | 8.3 h | 4.8 h | 1.9 h | 1.2 h |
| Relative humidity | 90% | 88% | 82% | 74% | 68% | 70% | 75% | 80% | 85% | 88% | 91% | 91% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 4.9 µg/m³ | 6.8 µg/m³ | 8.2 µg/m³ | 10.9 µg/m³ | 10.3 µg/m³ | 11 µg/m³ | 8.4 µg/m³ | 8.2 µg/m³ | 7.1 µg/m³ | 4.8 µg/m³ | 4.3 µg/m³ | 4.7 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 8.2 µg/m³ | 10.7 µg/m³ | 13.3 µg/m³ | 16.8 µg/m³ | 16.3 µg/m³ | 17.4 µg/m³ | 13 µg/m³ | 12.4 µg/m³ | 10.4 µg/m³ | 7.5 µg/m³ | 6.7 µg/m³ | 8 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Lux Helsinki
1–10 January
- Docpoint documentary film festival
January
- January and July sale seasons
January and July
- Vappu (May Day)
30 April–1 May
- World Village Festival
21–31 May
- Helsinki Samba Carnaval
1–7 June
- Helsinki Pride
22–30 June
- Juhannus (Midsummer) bonfire
20–26 June, dates vary from year to year
- School summer holiday exodus
June, July and August
- Tuska Open Air
July
- Weekend Festival (WKND)
1–7 July
- Visio Festival
11–20 August
- Flow Festival
1–7 August
- Helsinki Festival
16–31 August
- Helsinki International Film Festival (Love & Anarchy)
September
- Lautapelaamaan board game weekend
1–7 November
- Liquorice and salmiak festival
11–20 November
- Christmas lights and market
November and December, dates vary from year to year
- New Year's Eve at Senate Square
31 December
- Finnish Independence Day
6 December
Worth knowing before you go
- Easter public holidays
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Vappu crowds and rowdiness
30 April–1 May
- Juhannus (Midsummer) city emptying
20–26 June, dates vary from year to year
- Christmas closures
24–26 December
World Heritage sites nearby
UNESCO World Heritage sites within 25 km, nearest first.
- Suomenlinna
4 km away